Friday, March 29, 2024

Today’s Best Tech Deals: Apple Watch, Dell XPS 13, Microsoft Surface Pro

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Labor Day may be over but we’re still seeing plenty of awesome tech deals lying around that are too good to miss. Right now, you can get the Blink XT2 security camera, Apple Watch Series 3, AirPods Pro, iPad Mini, Microsoft Surface Pro 7, 70-inch LG UN7070 4K TV, Dell XPS 13, and Samsung Galaxy S20 at Amazon, Best Buy, Dell, and Verizon for as much as $360 off.

While the Arlo 2 is without a doubt the best home security camera right now, not everyone can afford its premium price tag. If you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars for a security cam system on top of a hefty monthly subscription, the Blink XT2 is a fantastic low-cost option. This rugged home security camera can be placed both indoors and outdoors and features a 1080p live feed, mobile app control and access, motion-activated recording, and two-way talk. Its cloud storage is even free of charge, although it’s a tad limited at just two hours max with clip lengths of 60 seconds, which means you’d have to regularly delete recordings. Finally, the Blink XT2 is Alexa compatible so you have the option to view the live feed on any Alexa-powered smart home devices. For advanced home surveillance on a shoestring budget, get the Blink XT2 two-camera bundle today at Amazon for just $135 instead of $180.

Apple Watch Series 3 – $169, was $199

The Apple Watch Series 3 was launched in 2017 and since it’s no longer the latest Apple Watch, it’s not hard to find one at a seriously low price. In fact, you can get it at Amazon right now for just $169 (down from $199). While the Apple Watch Series 5 is the current reigning king of smartwatches, three years isn’t that long of a time to dismiss the Series 3 as outdated. Quite honestly, the only major difference between the two iterations is the always-on display which a lot of people can live without. With the Apple Watch Series 3 you’re getting a built-in heart rate monitor, GPS, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, and gyroscope, sensors that allow it 3 to monitor your heart rate and track activities like walking, running, swimming, mountain climbing, and cycling. It also boasts a ton of smart features including call, text, and social media notifications and onboard music storage. Get the 38mm GPS model of the Apple Watch Series 3 today for the incredibly low price of $169.

Apple AirPods Pro — $220, was $250

If you’re thinking of getting the standard AirPods with the wireless charging case, please don’t. They sound exactly like the EarPods (the wired buds that come free with an iPhone) and don’t even offer noise-canceling or sweat-resistance. For just $50 more you get those two features with the AirPods Pro plus exceptional sound quality and customizable fit. While the original AirPods get high marks for comfort, they don’t offer the most secure fit and even a slight bit of movement will send them tumbling down. In today’s busy world where everyone’s always on the move, that just won’t do. The AirPods Pro, on the other hand, are attachable to three pairs of differently sized silicone eartips that ensure you’ll find the snuggest yet most comfortable fit. They also inherit their predecessor’s insanely easy set-up and operation (for iOS devices anyway). Taking them off of the charging case for the first time will make a pop-up appear on your Apple device’s screen for instant pairing, and touch controls are simple, intuitive, and easy to master. And if you’re extra lazy and don’t want to lift a finger to skip a song or change the volume, you can ask Siri to do it for you. Finally, Apple’s new H1 chip has immensely improved sound quality. These AirPods now offer a distinct emphasis on vocals and bass that sound great no matter what music genre you’re listening to. Get the AirPods Pro at Verizon today for just $220 instead of the usual $250.

Apple iPad Mini – $350, was $399

The Apple iPad Mini is the only tiny tablet you should consider buying. While the Microsoft Surface Go 2 is also quite good, it’s not nearly as powerful as the iPad Mini and it’s way more expensive. For just $350 (down from $399) at Amazon, you’re getting an A12 Bionic processor with the iPad Mini, the same one that powers the iPhone XR and XS and iPad Air, which all cost hundreds of dollars more. This chip can easily take on normal productivity tasks like web browsing and social media updating with relative ease. You can even do some light editing work on Lightroom and it will never falter. While the iPad Mini’s 7.9-inch Retina Display is quite tiny, it’s bright, sharp, and colorful, perfect for content streaming and reading. With the Apple Pencil 1st gen (sold separately), you can take notes and draw with precision. Unfortunately, the iPad Mini isn’t compatible with the Apple Magic keyboard so you can use it in laptop form. You can, however, purchase any third-party Bluetooth keyboard, and they tend to be cheaper anyway. Finally, it’s battery life is amazing. If you’re just going to use it occasionally, it will take a week at least for you to charge it again. The iPad Mini is perfect for the budget-conscious user who still requires a powerful and extremely portable tablet. Get the 64GB Wi-Fi model at Amazon for just $350.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – $599, was $959

At just $599 instead of $959 at Best Buy, you get the Type Cover and not just the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 with this deal. This peripheral not only protects this device from scratches but also transforms it into something that resembles a laptop so you can type a lot faster. In our opinion, the Surface Pro 7 is the most well-rounded Surface device there is. It’s got a gorgeous display and is powerful enough to serve as your primary work device. Underneath the hood, things are run by an Intel Core i3 processor. While this may be an entry-level chipset, it still boasts enough power to tackle basic computing tasks and even a few processor-intensive programs with relative ease. This tablet/laptop hybrid flaunts a 12.3-inch PixelSense that’s packed with 2736 x 1824 pixels. Aside from being pixel-dense and extremely sharp, it’s also pretty good in terms of color reproduction and brightness level. Digital artists and other creatives would die to have this in their arsenal, most especially if they purchase the excellent Surface Pen. Finally, the Surface Pro 7 offers eight hours of battery life, which is pretty good but nowhere near remarkable. Get our choice for the best 2-in-1 laptop of 2020 for just $599 at Best Buy today.

70-inch LG UN7070 4K TV – $600, was $650

Back in the day, you’d literally have to spend thousands of dollars for a giant 4K TV, but now thanks to advances in screen technology and cheaper manufacturing costs, a solid one can be as low as $600. Take LG’s 70-inch UHD 70 Series for example. This terrific low-budget option may not boast high-end parts but it’s got a good screen (which is exactly what you should be looking for) and comes with a host of features that are amazing for the price point. Its IPS panel has great viewing angles so you’re going to get an excellent picture no matter where you’re seated, although its blacks look a little gray. Best place it in a moderately or brightly lit room. This TV works with Google Assistant and Alexa so you get voice-assisted control, plus Apple AirPlay 2, and Apple HomeKit are all onboard. As for the operating system, LG’s superb WebOS remains one of our favorite smart TV interfaces as it’s extremely user-friendly, intuitive, and customizable. Get the 70-inch LG UHD 70 Series today for just $600 (down from $650) at Best Buy.

Dell XPS 13 – $700, was $850

Dell’s XPS 13 was already a fine laptop specimen to begin with. It screamed luxury with its stunning screen, outstanding build quality, and formidable specs. However, it had one fatal flaw: The “nosecam.” For some reason Dell placed the webcam at the center of the screen’s bottom bezel, giving whoever you’re video chatting with a terrific view of your nostrils. Thankfully, this has been fixed in its latest iteration. The laptop remains as impressive as ever but with a few more notable tweaks that truly make it the best laptop to buy right now. Dell ditched the XPS 13’s bezels and stretched its touchscreen from edge to edge, which makes it 6.8% bigger than its predecessor despite having the same chassis dimensions. Its keyboard has also been completely overhauled, now sporting a newer, comfier typing mechanism and much larger keys. This unit is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor and it’s blazingly fast. It can easily tackle multiple CPU-heavy programs that are open simultaneously. Even its battery life is incredible, lasting over 12 hours in our continuous web surfing test. Unfortunately, the XPS 13 lacks older USB Type-A ports (you only get two USB Type-C ports, a MicroSD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack) so yo have to purchase a separate USB dock to connect legacy peripherals. Other than that, it’s practically perfect. Get the Dell XPS 13 today for $700 instead of $850 at Dell’s official website.

Samsung Galaxy S20 – $850, was $1,000

While the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus trumps the Galaxy S20 in terms of battery life, screen size, and camera quality, we think its 6.2-inch screen size is far more ergonomic and comfortable to hold. While a large phone is always great for watching movies, they’re too unwieldy, heavy, and nearly unpocketable. Another reason to consider buying the Galaxy S20 is it’s $250 cheaper than its bigger brother. Honestly, you’re still getting nearly the same flagship phone experience as this phone is powered by the same processor, runs with the same interface, and also offers 5G compatibility for the future. The Galaxy S20 flaunts an absolutely gorgeous Dynamic AMOLED display that’s packed with 3200 x 1440 pixels. It’s super bright, sharp, and dripping with vibrant colors. You’ll likely be surprised to know that the Galaxy S20 comes with the same set of lenses as the Galaxy S20 Plus except for the VGA time-of-flight sensor. While the bokeh-effect photos that this phone captures aren’t as good as the Galaxy S20 Plus’s, everything else looks amazing. As mentioned, this is also powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, making it insanely fast and fluid. You won’t encounter any lags and issues when playing graphically heavy games like Fortnite and Asphalt 9. Get the Samsung Galaxy S20 today for $850 instead of $1,000 at Amazon – a huge $150 off.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

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